15 Acre Lot

[SusanC]

We have a 15 acre lot that we have been mowing with a 60" deck, John Deere. We are wanting to cut down on the amount of time it takes to mow and are now in the process of trading up to a wide-area mower, 128" deck. The lot is relatively flat with a small pond. Is this overkill?? But we really don't won't to continue to spend all weekend mowing. What do y'all think about this mower? And do you have any other recommendations???

Thanks,
Susan

[larryinalabama]

I would recomend investion in a 40hp farm tractor. With a 3pt finish mower you should be able to mow 15 acers in a couple of hours. Plus a tractor has so many uses.

[Chilehead]

I would recomend investion in a 40hp farm tractor. With a 3pt finish mower you should be able to mow 15 acers in a couple of hours. Plus a tractor has so many uses.

That's using your noggin'.

[Fordsuvparts]

He wrote what I was thinking, this would be the perfect solution to your problem and then leave you most of the weekend to enjoy your self.

[jtf40]

This would be fun - 11 feet at a time !!!!:usflag:

http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/GC/series/GC_front_wide_series.html

[JohnnyRoyale]

definitely overkill-he's right on with the tractor suggestion.

[Marcos]

15 acres, huh ?!?

Did you ever think of putting at least an acre or two of your land into "prairie" and / or "wetlands" use ?

Up here in Ohio there are bunches of folks in somewhat rural areas who have big pieces of land...who are able to get pretty decent State of Ohio tax credits annually just because of their (sometimes VERY modest :rolleyes:) efforts to re-introduce prairie grasses, etc.

Honestly, some of the folks that create "wetlands" just use a backhoe to scrape away at the soil enough to get some cattails to grow, and a few dragonflies and frogs to stop by. :laugh:

But you'll no doubt get as "serious" about it as your conscience allows you to !!

Here's a way you might be able to save about 5 K in taxes...over the next 5 years or so :

http://www.state.tn.us/twra/habitatconserv.html

[SusanC]

This would be fun - 11 feet at a time !!!!:usflag:

http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/GC/series/GC_front_wide_series.html

Actually, this is the mower my husband is seriously considering. We have only lived here for a couple of years but we do have the reduced tax credit (or whatever it is called) for farms. We do mow all of it right now and because we are in a subdivision we pretty much are required to do so. Ah, the joys of living with a homeowners association. Whole different topic for another time. Anywho, questions .......... will a 40+ hp tractor really mow 15 acres in a couple of hours??? I am just having difficulty believing this. I have read where some of you guys believe a tractor does not mow well, more for farm use.

Susan

[hmartin]

If you can afford the wide area mower, I say go for it. While the WAM will not have the versatility of the tractor, the cut quality and maneuverability will be much better. It sounds like your neighborhood is very upscale. I have heard that there are a lot of beautiful houses springing up around Franklin.

The mower is only overkill if it is too big to use effectively or out of your price range.

A 72" ZRT mower would be about 20% faster than what you have now and a lot less expensive than a WAM or a tractor. I know a LCO that cuts 30 acres with a 72" Ferris and a 60" JD every week.

[Big Hoss]

Anywho, questions .......... will a 40+ hp tractor really mow 15 acres in a couple of hours??? I am just having difficulty believing this. I have read where some of you guys believe a tractor does not mow well, more for farm use.
Susan

I have a 23 hp ford 1520 4wd tractor that I bush hog and finish mow with. In fifth gear it will finish mow a piece of ground like yours between 3 and 4 hours. However the cut does not look as good and if the ground is soft or still wet you will eventually feel some ruts developing over time. The tractor will be way more versatile than what you currently have or are looking at. Wait until you see all the aatachments you can buy or rent. Get the turf tires and do not "load" them with calcium as this adds weight. I would go check out New Holland's compact tractors. Keep the ZTR for around the house as it will look better. IMO.
Albert

[jkitterman]

What is the regulations for your homeowners association and how is the land zoned? You may be able to get away with planting it for wildlife with soybeans, clover or something else to cut down on mowing or maybe wildflowers.

[cgaengineer]

15 acres, huh ?!?

Did you ever think of putting at least an acre or two of your land into "prairie" and / or "wetlands" use ?

Up here in Ohio there are bunches of folks in somewhat rural areas who have big pieces of land...who are able to get pretty decent State of Ohio tax credits annually just because of their (sometimes VERY modest :rolleyes:) efforts to re-introduce prairie grasses, etc.

Honestly, some of the folks that create "wetlands" just use a backhoe to scrape away at the soil enough to get some cattails to grow, and a few dragonflies and frogs to stop by. :laugh:

But you'll no doubt get as "serious" about it as your conscience allows you to !!

Here's a way you might be able to save about 5 K in taxes...over the next 5 years or so :

http://www.state.tn.us/twra/habitatconserv.html

The last thing you would want to do is turn a perfectly good piece of land into a wetland. Once a wetlands, always a wetlands (As far as the state is concerned).

[Marcos]

What is the regulations for your homeowners association and how is the land zoned? You may be able to get away with planting it for wildlife with soybeans, clover or something else to cut down on mowing or maybe wildflowers.

That's what I was trying to get across to the person that started this thread.

The State of Tennessee will actually PAY individual landowners to keep a certain number of acres in native vegetation "buffers" for a certain number of years.

http://www.state.tn.us/twra/habitatconserv.html


But you're right, jkitterman.
They could live in a somewhat "upscale" :rolleyes: residential area where something like this might be somewhat frowned upon by many neighbors, and / or the local zoning might not fit the purpose.

[Marcos]

15 acres, huh ?!?

Did you ever think of putting at least an acre or two of your land into "prairie" and / or "wetlands" use ?

Up here in Ohio there are bunches of folks in somewhat rural areas who have big pieces of land...who are able to get pretty decent State of Ohio tax credits annually just because of their (sometimes VERY modest ) efforts to re-introduce prairie grasses, etc.

Honestly, some of the folks that create "wetlands" just use a backhoe to scrape away at the soil enough to get some cattails to grow, and a few dragonflies and frogs to stop by.

But you'll no doubt get as "serious" about it as your conscience allows you to !!


The last thing you would want to do is turn a perfectly good piece of land into a wetland. Once a wetlands, always a wetlands (As far as the state is concerned).


Well...duh!!! :dizzy:

Does every little piece of ground in the U.S.A. have to be "bulldozed and developed" in order to have a "purpose" ?!? :confused:

Where do you take your family for a picnic, hike & maybe some fishing on the weekends, cgaengineer ??

Do you take them for a stroll 'around the office parks' ?!?
:laugh::laugh::laugh:

[cgaengineer]

I'm not arguing with you, just making a point. You can put some of the land in a conservation easement for taxes but don't turn dry land into wetlands unless the land is useless for anything else.

I am telling you that if I had 15 acres around here at the price per acre its going for, the last thing I would do is turn it into a wetland. Some land goes for millions per acre here...

If it wasn't for office parks, buildings and developments...most people on this forum wouldn't have a job!

Just so you know I work for an engineering firm...wetlands are the devil!!

[larryinalabama]

Wetlands do nothing more than breed misquetos, I turned my wetlands into a big pond

[cgaengineer]

Wetlands do nothing more than breed misquetos, I turned my wetlands into a big pond

Much better a pond then stinking anaerobic swamp mud!!